Cancer antigen peptides derived from wt1

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to HLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptides derived from WT1, polynucleotides encoding said peptide, CTL-inducers, and cancer vaccine comprising said peptide or polynucleotide.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of allowed U.S. application Ser. No.10/594,507, filed on Sep. 28, 2006, which is a 371 of InternationalPatent Application No. PCT/JP05/06113, filed on Mar. 30, 2005, andclaims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-105219, filed onMar. 31, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to cancer antigen peptides derived fromWT1 and their use.

BACKGROUND ART

WT1 gene (Wilms' tumor gene 1) has been identified as one of causativegenes of Wilms' tumor that is a childhood renal tumor (Cell 60: 509,1990, Nature 343: 774, 1990). WT1 gene encodes the transcription factorWT1, and WT1 plays an important role in many processes such asproliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of cells, and developmentof tissues (Int. Rev. Cytol. 181: 151, 1998). The WT1 gene wasoriginally defined as a tumor suppressor gene. However, subsequentstudies revealed that WT1 gene is expressed in leukemia and varioussolid cancers including lung cancer and breast cancer, indicating thatWT 1 gene rather exerts an oncogenic function promoting cancer growth.In addition, it was demonstrated in vitro that, when peripheral bloodmononuclear cells positive for HLA-A*0201 or HLA-A*2402 are stimulatedwith WT1-derived peptides, peptide-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes(CTLs) are induced and kill leukemia or solid tumor cells whichendogenously express WT1. These results demonstrated that WT1 is apromising target molecule of cancer immunotherapy (Int. J. Hematol 76:127, 2002). However, it has been neither elucidated whether said WT1contains a peptide portion(s) capable of binding to HLA-A26 antigen norreported that there is such a peptide(s).

In addition, although binding sequences for a cancer antigen peptidecapable of binding to HLA-A*0201 (a member of HLA-A2 antigens) werededuced (WO 00/18795), only a few cancer antigen peptides have beenproved to be effective so far (WO 00/06602 and WO 00/026249).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to provide cancer antigenpeptides derived from WT1, their use as a CTL-inducer, and the like.

The present inventors have conducted intensive researches aiming atidentification of novel cancer antigen peptides derived from WT1. As aresult, it was revealed that peptides set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 2, 8 and9 can induce HLA-A26-restricted CTLs. That is, the present inventorshave for the first time found that WT1 contains a cancer antigen peptideportion(s) which binds to HLA-A26 antigen among a number of HLA antigensubclasses and is recognized by CTLs. This finding led to thedevelopment of novel cancer vaccine therapy which can induceWT1-specific CTLs in HLA-A26-positive cancer patients.

Furthermore, the present inventors have for the first time found that apeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 of which effects have been unknown hasan activity, as a cancer antigen, of binding to HLA-A*0201 antigen andbeing recognized by CTLs.

The above-mentioned WT1-derived cancer antigen peptide and apolynucleotide encoding the same and the like of the present inventioncan be used effectively as a CTL inducer, namely cancer vaccine. Inaddition, the cancer antigen peptides of the present invention can beused effectively as an ingredient of a detecting agent for WT1-specificCTLs. The present invention has been established on the basis of thesefindings.

Thus, the present invention is related to:

(1) A peptide derived from the amino acid sequence of human WT1 setforth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and having activity as an HLA-A26-binding cancerantigen peptide;

(2) The peptide of (1) above, which comprises or consists of 8-11contiguous amino acids in the amino acid sequence of human WT1 set forthin SEQ ID NO: 1;

(3) The peptide of (1) or (2) above, which comprises the amino acidsequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 8 or SEQ ID NO: 9;

(4) A tumor antigen peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence setforth in SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 8 or SEQ ID NO: 9;

(5) An epitope peptide comprising a peptide described in any one of (1)to (4) above;

(6) A polynucleotide encoding a peptide described in any one of (1) to(5) above;

(7) An expression vector containing the polynucleotide described in (6)above;

(8) A cell containing the expression vector described in (7) above;

(9) A process for producing a peptide described in any one of (1) to (5)above, which comprises culturing the cell described in (8) above underthe condition where the peptide can be expressed;

(10) An antibody which specifically binds to a peptide described in anyone of (1) to (4) above;

(11) An antigen-presenting cell on which a complex between anHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide derived from the amino acidsequence of human WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, preferably a peptidedescribed in any one of (2) to (4) above and an HLA-A26 antigen ispresented;

(12) A CTL which recognizes a complex between an HLA-A26-binding cancerantigen peptide derived from the amino acid sequence of human WT1 setforth in SEQ ID NO: 1, preferably a peptide described in any one of (2)to (4) above and an HLA-A26 antigen;

(13) A pharmaceutical composition which comprises a peptide described inany one of (1) to (5) above, an expression vector described in (7)above, a cell described in (8) above, an antigen-presenting celldescribed in (11) above, or a CTL described in (12) above, together witha pharmaceutically acceptable carrier;

(14) The pharmaceutical composition of (13) above, which is used as aCTL inducer;

(15) The pharmaceutical composition of (13) above, which is used ascancer vaccine;

(16) An HLA monomer, dimer, tetramer or pentamer comprising anHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide derived from the amino acidsequence of human WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, preferably a peptidedescribed in any one of (2) to (4) above, together with an HLA-A26antigen;

(17) A reagent for the detection of CTLs specific for an HLA-A26-bindingcancer antigen peptide derived from WT1, which reagent comprises an HLAmonomer, dimer, tetramer or pentamer described in (16) above as aningredient;

(18) A pharmaceutical composition which comprises any one of thefollowing a) to f) together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier:

-   -   a) a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ        ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4,    -   b) an epitope peptide comprising the peptide of a) above,    -   c) an expression vector containing a polynucleotide encoding the        peptide of a) or b) above,    -   d) a cell containing the expression vector of c) above,    -   e) an antigen-presenting cell on which a complex between the        peptide of a) above and an HLA-A*0201 antigen is presented, and    -   f) a CTL which recognizes the complex between the peptide of a)        and an HLA-A*0201 antigen;

(19) The pharmaceutical composition of (18) above, which is used as aCTL inducer;

(20) The pharmaceutical composition of (19) above, which is used ascancer vaccine;

(21) An HLA monomer, dimer, tetramer or pentamer which comprises apeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 orSEQ ID NO: 4 together with an HLA-A*0201 antigen; or

(22) A reagent for the detection of CTLs specific for HLA-A*0201-bindingcancer antigen peptide derived from WT1, which reagent comprises an HLAmonomer, dimer, tetramer or pentamer described in (21) above as aningredient.

The present invention provides cancer antigen peptides derived from WT1,polynucleotides encoding the same, CTL-inducers comprising the same, andthe like. The CTL inducer of the present invention is useful as cancervaccine. The cancer vaccine of the present invention is applicable tomany cancer patients who are positive for HLA-A26 or HLA-A*0201.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the results of experiments where the cytotoxicactivity of CTLs induced by stimulation with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3on T2 target cells either pulsed (filled circle) or not-pulsed (opencircle) with the peptide was examined. In the figure, the vertical axisindicates the specific cytotoxic activity (% specific lysis) and theabscissa axis the E/T ratio which is a ratio of effector cell number (E)to target cell number (T).

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the results of experiments where the cytotoxicactivity of CTLs induced by stimulation with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3on TF-1 cell line (filled circle), which is positive for HLA-A*0201 andexpresses WT1, or JY cell line (open circle), which is positive forHLA-A*0201 and not expresses WT1, was examined. In the figure, thevertical axis indicates the specific cytotoxic activity (% specificlysis) and the abscissa axis the E/T ratio.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the results of experiments where the cytotoxicactivity of CTLs induced by stimulation with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2on B-LCL target cells either pulsed (solid bar) or not-pulsed (open bar)with the peptide was examined. In the figure, the vertical axisindicates the specific cytotoxic activity (% specific lysis).

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the results of experiments where the cytotoxicactivity of CTLs induced by stimulation with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2,8 or 9 on B-LCL target cells either pulsed (solid bar) or not-pulsed(open bar) with the peptide was examined. In the figure, the verticalaxis indicates the specific cytotoxic activity (% specific lysis).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a peptide which is derived from the aminoacid sequence of human WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and has activity asan HLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide.

The amino acid sequence of human WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 is aknown sequence (Cell, 60: 509, 1990, NCBI database Accession No.XP_(—)034418 and Accession No. P19544). The said amino acid sequence ofhuman WT1 is shown in SEQ ID NO: 1. As HLA-A26 antigens, HLA-A*2601,HLA-A*2602, HLA-A*2603 and the like are known. For the presentinvention, preferred HLA-A26 antigen is HLA-A*2601. In Japan, about 20%of population share HLA-A26 antigen among HLA antigens.

It was for the first time found that the amino acid sequence of WT1contains cancer antigen peptide portions capable of binding to HLA-A26antigen and being recognized by CTLs, which led to the establishment ofthe present invention.

In the context of the present invention, the term “having (have)activity as an HLA-A26 binding cancer antigen peptide” means that apeptide has an activity of binding to HLA-A26 antigen and beingrecognized by cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), and is synonym for “binding toHLA-A26 antigen and inducing CTLs (having a CTL-inducing activity)”, or“binding to HLA-A26 antigen and activating CTLs (having a CTL-activatingactivity)”.

Accordingly, the phrase “peptide derived from the amino acid sequence ofhuman WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and having activity as anHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide” refers to a peptide whichcomprises a cancer antigen peptide consisting of a portion of the aminoacid sequence of WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and is capable of bindingto HLA-A26 antigen and being recognized by CTLs, inclusive of the saidcancer antigen peptide itself. The cancer antigen peptide of the presentinvention can be any peptide so long as it consists of a portion ofamino acid sequence of human WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and hasactivity as an HLA-A26 (HLA-A26 antigen)-binding cancer antigen peptide.The length of cancer antigen peptides is preferably 8-11 amino acids,more preferably 9-10 amino acids. Peptides having activity as a cancerantigen peptide of the present invention may have one or more additionalamino acids at the N- or C-terminus. When a peptide of the presentinvention has an additional amino acid(s), the entire length of thepeptide is generally contiguous 8-100 amino acids, preferably contiguous8-50 amino acids, and more preferably contiguous 8-30 amino acids.

The cancer antigen peptide of the present invention can be identified bysynthesizing a partial peptide (candidate peptide) consisting of 8-11contiguous amino acids in the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ IDNO: 1, and assaying whether or not the peptide has activity as anHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide.

The synthesis of peptides can be conducted according to a methodgenerally used in the field of peptide chemistry. Such a method can befound in literatures including Peptide Synthesis, Interscience, NewYork, 1966; The Proteins, Vol. 2, Academic Press Inc., New York, 1976;Peptide Synthesis, Maruzen, Inc., 1975; Peptide-Gosei no Kiso to Jikken,Maruzen, Inc., 1985; and Iyakuhin no Kaihatsu (Zoku), Vol. 14, PeptideSynthesis, Hirokawa-syoten, 1991.

It can be examined whether or not a candidate peptide is theHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide by a method described in, forexample, Tissue Antigen 61: 136. 2003, or a method described in theworking Examples below. It can also be examined whether or not acandidate peptide is a peptide having activity as an HLA-A26-bindingcancer antigen peptide in a similar manner.

Specifically, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are firstlyisolated from a human subject positive for HLA-A26 antigen and culturedafter adding (pulsing with) a candidate peptide. After cultivation, theculture is repeatedly stimulated several times by adding a peptide everyfew days to amplify CTLs specific for the peptide. Then peptide-specificreaction of said CTLs is detected by measuring cytokines such as IFN-yproduced by CTLs or cytotoxic activity of CTLs. The cytotoxic activitycan be measured by, for example, ⁵¹Cr release assay (Int. J. Cancer, 58:p 317, 1994) or the like. Examples of target cell usable in the assayinclude ⁵¹ Cr-labeled cells which are positive for WT1 and positive forHLA-A26. Specific examples include ⁵¹ Cr-labeled cells which areobtained by introducing a gene encoding HLA-A26 gene (e.g., GenbankAccession No. No. D14350) into a leukemia cell line which is positivefor WT1 and negative for HLA-A26.

When the results of assay above show that CTLs kill the target cells orproduce cytokines, the said candidate peptide is identified to be “anHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide” or “a peptide having activity asan HLA-A26 binding cancer antigen peptide”.

Examples of specific embodiments of a peptide having activity as anHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide of the present invention includea peptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, and has activity as an HLA-A26-bindingcancer antigen peptide. Preferably, the present invention provides apeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8or 9. There are no limitations regarding the length of such a peptide onthe condition that said peptide has the activity of binding to HLA-A26antigen and being recognized by CTLs. However, a peptide (cancer antigenpeptide) having a binding activity to HLA antigen is known to generallyconsist of 8 to 11 amino acids. Accordingly, the cancer antigenicpeptide portion in the peptide of the present invention comprising theamino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14or 15 is a peptide preferably consisting of 9-11 amino acids, morepreferably, 9-10 amino acids. Still more preferably, it is a cancerantigen peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, and most preferably, a cancerantigen peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQID NO: 2, 8 or 9.

The peptides of the present invention may be altered as appropriatewithin a range that the activity is maintained. As used herein the“alteration” of amino acid residue means substitution, deletion and/oraddition of an amino acid residue(s) (the addition is inclusive ofaddition of amino acid(s) at the N- and/or C-terminus of peptide). Thesubstitution of an amino acid residue(s) is preferred. When thealteration involves substitution of an amino acid residue(s), any numberof amino acid residues at any position can be replaced on the conditionthat the activity as cancer antigen peptide is retained. However, sincea peptide which binds to HLA antigen is generally about 8-11 amino acidin length, the alteration is preferably involves one to several aminoacids.

The present invention also provides a peptide (so-called an epitopepeptide) comprising a peptide of the present invention together with ahelper peptide or another cancer antigen peptide.

Recently, a peptide (“epitope peptide”) composed of multiple (plural)CTL epitopes (antigen peptides) linked together has been shown to havean activity of inducing CTLs efficiently. For example, it has beenreported that a peptide (about 30-mer) wherein CTL epitopes eachrestricted to HLA-A2-, -A3,-A11 or B53 originated from cancer antigenprotein PSA are ligated together induced in vivo CTLs specific forrespective CTL epitopes (Journal of Immunology 1998, 161: 3186-3194).

In addition, a peptide (epitope peptide) wherein a CTL epitope(s) and ahelper epitope(s) are ligated has been shown to induce CTLs efficiently.In this context, “helper epitope” means a peptide capable of activatinga CD4-positive T cells (Immunity., 1:751, 1994), and examples thereofinclude HBVc128-140 of hepatitis B virus origin, TT947-967 of tetanustoxin origin, etc. CD4+ T cells activated by said helper epitope exertvarious activities including induction and maintenance of CTLs,differentiation, and activation of effectors such as macrophages, etc,and hence are considered to be important in the immunological anti-tumorresponse. As a concrete example of a peptide wherein a helper epitope(s)and CTL epitope(s) are linked together, it is reported that a DNA(minigene) encoding a peptide composed of HBV-originatedHLA-A2-restricted antigen peptides (6 peptides), HLA-A11-restrictedantigen peptides (3 peptides) and a helper epitope induced in vivo CTLsdirected to the respective epitopes efficiently (Journal of Immunology1999, 162: 3915-3925). Practically, a peptide wherein a CTL epitope(tumor antigen peptide corresponding to position 280-288 of melanomaantigen gp100) and a helper epitope (tetanus toxin-originated T helperepitope) are ligated has been subjected to clinical test (ClinicalCancer Res., 2001, 7:3012-3024).

Accordingly, as a specific embodiment, the peptides of the presentinvention also include epitope peptides in which multiple epitopesincluding the aforementioned peptides of the present invention areligated and which have a CTL-inducing activity.

When the epitope to be ligated to the cancer antigen peptide of thepresent invention is a CTL epitope (cancer antigen peptide), examples ofCTL epitopes usable include WT1-derived CTL epitopes capable of bindingtoHLA-A*0201,-A*0204,-A*0205,-A*0206,-A*0207,-A11,-A24,-A31,-A*6801,-B7,-B8,-B*2705,-B37,-Cw′0401or -Cw′0602 (Int. I Hematol 76: 127, 2002; Int. J. Hematol 78: 56, 2003,WO 00/06602, WO 00/18795). Plural numbers of these CTL epitopes can belinked together, and the length of one CTL epitope may be about 8-14amino acids on the basis of the analysis of antigen peptides bound tovarious HLA molecules (Immunogenetics, 41: 178, 1995).

When the epitope to be ligated to the cancer antigen peptide of thepresent invention is a helper epitope, examples of helper epitopesusable include the aforementioned HBVc128-140 of hepatitis B virusorigin, TT947-967 of tetanus toxin origin, a WT1-derived helper epitope(Lys Arg Tyr Phe Lys Leu Ser His Leu Gln Met His Ser Arg Lys His, SEQ IDNO: 5), and the like. The helper epitope may be about 13-30 amino acids,preferably, about 13-17 amino acids in length.

Specifically, examples of epitope peptides of the present inventioninclude an epitope peptide which comprises a peptide consisting of theamino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14or 15 and a helper peptide, preferably an epitope peptide whichcomprises a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth inSEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9 and a helper peptide.

More specifically, examples include an epitope peptide which comprises apeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably a peptide consisting of theamino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9 and a peptideconsisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5; anepitope peptide which comprises a peptide consisting of the amino acidsequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15,preferably a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth inSEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9 and a tetanus toxin-originated helper peptide(e.g., Phe Asn Asn Phe Thr Val Ser Phe Trp Leu Arg Val Pro Lys Val SerAla Ser His Leu Glu, SEQ ID NO: 6); and an epitope peptide whichcomprises a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth inSEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably a peptideconsisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9and a peptide (Ala Gln Tyr Ile Lys Ala Asn Ser Lys Phe Ile Gly Ile ThrGlu Leu, SEQ ID NO: 7; Clinical Cancer Res., 2001,7:3012-3024).

The peptide (epitope peptide) wherein multiple epitopes are ligated canbe prepared by a usual method for peptide synthesis as described above.It is also obtainable by a usual method for DNA synthesis and geneticengineering on the basis of sequence information of a polynucleotideencoding an epitope peptide wherein multiple epitopes are ligated.Specifically, an epitope peptide wherein a multiple epitopes are ligatedcan be prepared by inserting said polynucleotide into a known expressionvector, transforming a host cell with the resultant recombinantexpression vector, culturing the resultant transformed cells, andrecovering the objective epitope peptide wherein multiple epitopes areligated from the culture. These processes can be conducted according to,for example, a method described in a literature (Molecular Cloning, T.Maniatis et al., CSH Laboratory (1983), DNA Cloning, D M. Glover, IRLPRESS (1985)), or the method described hereinafter.

The CTL-inducing activity of the so produced epitope peptide whereinmultiple epitopes are ligated can be examined by subjecting to, forexample, the above-mentioned ⁵¹ Cr release assay.

The above-described peptides (including epitope peptides) of the presentinvention can be modified at the amino group of the N-terminal aminoacid and/or at the carboxyl group of the C-terminal amino acid. Thus,peptides wherein the N-terminal and/or the C-terminal amino acid residueis modified fall within the scope of the peptide of the presentinvention.

Examples of a group for the modification of amino group of theN-terminal amino acid include 1 to 3 groups selected from C1-6 alkylgroup, phenyl group, cycloalkyl group and acyl group. Acyl groupsinclude C₁₋₆ alkanoyl group, C₁₋₆ alkanoyl group substituted by phenylgroup, carbonyl group substituted by C₅₋₇ cycloalkyl group, C₁₋₆alkylsulfonyl group, phenylsulfonyl group, C₂₋₆ alkoxycarbonyl group,alkoxycarbonyl group substituted by phenyl group, carbonyl groupsubstituted by C₅₋₇ cycloalkoxy group, phenoxycarbonyl group, and thelike.

Examples of peptides modified at the carboxyl group of the C-terminalamino acid include esters and amides. Esters include C₁₋₆ alkyl esters,C₀₋₆ alkyl esters substituted by phenyl group, C₅₋₇ cycloalkyl esters,and the like. Amides specifically include amides, amides substituted byone or two C₁₋₆ alkyl groups, amides substituted by one or two C₀₋₆alkyl groups that are substituted by phenyl group, amides forming 5- to7-membered azacycloalkane inclusive of nitrogen atom of amide group, andthe like.

The present invention also provides a polynucleotide encoding theabove-mentioned peptide of the present invention. The polynucleotideencoding a peptide of the present invention may be in the form of DNA orRNA. The polynucleotides of the present invention can be easily preparedon the basis of information about amino acid sequence of the presentpeptide or polynucleotide sequence of DNA encoding the same.Specifically, synthesis can be carried out using usual method of DNAsynthesis or amplification by PCR.

In particular, examples include a polynucleotide encoding an epitopepeptide which comprises a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequenceset forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably apeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,8 or 9 and a helper epitope.

Preferred examples include a polynucleotide encoding an epitope peptidewhich comprises a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence setforth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, more preferably apeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,8 or 9 and a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth inSEQ ID NO: 5; a polynucleotide encoding an epitope peptide whichcomprises a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth inSEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, more preferably a peptideconsisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9and a tetanus toxin-originated helper peptide (e.g., Phe Asn Asn Phe ThrVal Ser Phe Trp Leu Arg Val Pro Lys Val Ser Ala Ser His Leu Glu, SEQ IDNO: 6); and a polynucleotide encoding an epitope peptide which comprisesa peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, more preferably a peptide consistingof the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9 and apeptide (Ala Gln Tyr Ile Lys Ala Asn Ser Lys Phe Ile Gly Ile Thr GluLeu, SEQ ID NO: 7; Clinical Cancer Res., 2001,7:3012-3024).

A recombinant expression vector for expressing the peptide of thepresent invention can be constructed by incorporating a polynucleotideprepared in the above into an expression vector.

An adequate expression vector can be selected depending on the host tobe used, purposes, and the like, and include plasmids, phage vectors,virus vectors, and the like.

When the host is Escherichia coli, examples of vector include plasmidvectors such as pUC118, pUC119, pBR322, pCR3, and the like; and phagevectors such as λZAPII, λgt11, and the like. When the host is yeast,examples of vector include pYES2, pYEUra3, and the like. When the hostis insect cells, examples of vector include pAcSGHisNT-A, and the like.When the host is animal cells, examples of vector include plasmidvectors such as pKCR, pCDM8, pGL2, pcDNA3.1, pRc/RSV, pRc/CMV, and thelike; and virus vectors such as retrovirus vector, adenovirus vector,adeno-associated virus vector, and the like.

The expression vectors above may optionally contain a factor(s) such aspromoter capable of inducing expression (expression-inducing promoter),a gene encoding a signal sequence, a marker gene for selection,terminator, and the like.

Furthermore, the expression vector may contain an additional sequencefor expressing the peptide as a fusion protein with thioredoxin, Histag, GST (glutathione S-transferase), or the like, so as to facilitatethe isolation and purification. Vectors usable in such a case includeGST fusion protein vectors containing an appropriate promoter (lac, tac,trc, trp, CMV, SV40 early promoter, etc) that functions in host cells,such as pGEX4T; vectors containing Tag sequence (Myc, His, etc) such aspcDNA3.1/Myc-His; and vectors capable of expressing a fusion proteinwith thioredoxin and His tag such as pET32a.

Transformed cells containing the vector of the present invention can beprepared by transforming host cells with an expression vector obtainedin the above.

Host cells usable herein include Escherichia coli, yeast, insect cellsand animal cells. Examples of Escherichia coli include strains of E.coli K-12 such as HB101, C600, JM109, DH5a and AD494 (DE3). Examples ofyeast include Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Examples of animal cells includeL929, BALB/c3T3, C127, CHO, COS, Vero and Hela cells. Examples of insectcells include sf9.

Introduction of an expression vector into host cells can be conductedusing a conventional method suited for the respective host cells above.Specifically, introduction can be conducted using calcium phosphatemethod, DEAE-dextran method, electroporation method, and a method usinglipid for gene transfer (Lipofectamine, Lipofectin; Gibco-BRL).Transformed cells containing the expression vector can be selected byculturing the host cells after introduction in a conventional mediumcontaining a selection marker.

The peptide of the present invention can be produced by culturing thetransformed cells under appropriate conditions (conditions under whichpeptides can be expressed). The resultant peptide may be furtherisolated and purified according to standard biochemical purificationprocedures. The purification procedures include salting out, ionexchange chromatography, absorption chromatography, affinitychromatography, gel filtration chromatography, and the like. When thepolypeptide of the present invention has been expressed as a fusionpeptide with thioredoxin, His tag, GST, or the like, as mentioned above,the peptide can be isolated and purified by appropriate purificationprocedures making use of the characteristics of the fusion protein ortags.

The present invention provides an antibody which specifically binds to apeptide of the present invention. The antibody of the present inventionis not restricted to any form and may be polyclonal or monoclonalantibody raised against a peptide of the present invention as anantigen.

As mentioned above, there is no limitation regarding the antibody of thepresent invention on the condition that it specifically binds to apeptide of the present invention. Examples of antibody include thosespecifically bind to a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence setforth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably to apeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,8 or 9.

Methods of preparation of antibodies are well known in the art and theantibodies of the present invention can be prepared by such conventionalmethods (Current protocols in Molecular Biology edit. Ausubel et al.(1987) Publish. John Wiley and Sons. Section 11.12-11.13, Antibodies; ALaboratory Manual, Lane, H, D. et al., ed., Cold Spring HarberLaboratory Press, New York 1989).

Specifically, antibodies can be prepared by immunizing a non-humananimal such as rabbit with a peptide of the present invention as anantigen, and recovering antibodies from serum of the immunized animal ina conventional manner. On the other hand, monoclonal antibodies can beobtained by immunizing a non-human animal such as mouse with a peptideof the present invention, subjecting the resultant splenocytes to cellfusion with myeloma cells, and recovering antibodies from the resultanthybridoma cells (Current protocols in Molecular Biology edit. Ausubel etal. (1987) Publish. John Wiley and Sons. Section 11.4-11.11).

The antibodies against the peptide of the present invention can also beproduced while enhancing the immunological response using differentadjuvants depending on the host. Examples of adjuvants include Freundadjuvants; mineral gels such as aluminium hydroxide; surfactants such aslysolecithin, Pluronic polyol, polyanion, peptide, oil emulsion, keyholelimpet hemocyanin and dinitorophenol; human adjuvants such as BCG(Bacille de Calmette-Guerin) or Corynebacterium, and the like.

As mentioned above, antibodies that recognize a peptide of the presentinvention and antibodies that neutralize the activity thereof can beeasily prepared by immunizing an animal with a peptide of the presentinvention appropriately in a conventional manner. The antibodies may beused in affinity chromatography, immunological diagnostic method, andthe like. Immunological diagnostic method may be selected as appropriatefrom immunoblotting, radioimmunoassay (RIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay (ELISA), a fluorescent or luminescent assay, and the like. Theimmunological diagnostic method is effective in the diagnosis of canceraccompanied by elevated expression of WT1, for example, blood cancerssuch as leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma andmalignant lymphoma, and solid cancers such as gastric cancer, coloncancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, embryonal cancer, hepatic cancer,skin cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervicalcancer, and ovarian cancer.

The present invention provides an antigen-presenting cell which presentsa complex between a peptide of the present invention and an HLA-A26antigen.

As shown in the Examples below, stimulation with a peptide of thepresent invention induced CTLs, which indicates that there existedantigen-presenting cells presenting a complex between a peptide of thepresent invention and an HLA-A26 antigen and that CTLs specificallyrecognizing said antigen-presenting cells were induced. Suchantigen-presenting cells presenting a complex between a peptide of thepresent invention and an HLA-A26 antigen are used effectively in thecell therapy (DC therapy) as hereinafter described.

The antigen-presenting cells of the present invention include any cellspresenting a complex of an HLA-A26 antigen and a cancer antigen peptideof the present invention, and specific examples includeantigen-presenting cells wherein a complex between a peptide consistingof the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13, 14 or 15, preferably a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequenceset forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9 and an HLA-A26 antigen is presented onthe cell surface of dendritic cells.

The antigen-presenting cells used in the cell therapy (DC therapy) canbe prepared by isolating cells having antigen-presenting ability from acancer patient, pulsing the cells in vitro with a peptide of the presentinvention, or introducing into the cells a polynucleotide or anexpression vector containing the same of the present invention, andallowing the cells to present a complex between an HLA-A26 antigen and acancer antigen peptide of the present invention on the cell surface. The“cells having antigen-presenting ability” are not limited to particularcells and may be any cells expressing HLA-A26 antigen capable ofpresenting a peptide of the present invention on the cell surface;however, dendritic cells known to have especially highantigen-presenting ability are preferred.

Further, the substance with which cells having antigen-presentingability above are pulsed may be a peptide of the present invention, or apolynucleotide encoding the peptide of the present invention or anexpression vector containing the same.

The antigen-presenting cells of the present invention can be preparedby, for example, isolating cells having antigen-presenting ability froma cancer patient, pulsing the cells in vitro with a peptide of thepresent invention (e.g., a cancer antigen peptide consisting of theamino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14or 15, preferably a cancer antigen peptide consisting of the amino acidsequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9), thereby producing a complexbetween an HLA-A26 antigen and the peptide of the present invention(Cancer Immunol. Immunother.,46:82, 1998, J. Immunol., 158: p 1796,1997,Cancer Res., 59: p 1184, 1999). When dendritic cells are used,antigen-presenting cells of the present invention can be prepared by,for example, isolating lymphocytes from peripheral blood of a cancerpatient by Ficoll method, removing non-adherent cells, incubating theadherent cells in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4 to induce dendriticcells, and pulsing the dendritic cells by incubating with a peptide ofthe present invention.

In the case where antigen-presenting cells of the present invention areprepared by introducing a polynucleotide encoding a peptide of thepresent invention (e.g., a polynucleotide encoding an epitope peptidewhich comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably the amino acid sequence set forthin SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9) or an expression vector containing the sameinto the above-mentioned cells having an antigen-presenting ability, thepreparation can be carried out referring to a method described in CancerRes., 56: p 5672, 1996 or J. Immunol., 161: p 5607, 1998, or the like,when the polynucleotide is DNA. The preparation of antigen-presentingcells can be effected using RNA as well as DNA in a similar manner,referring to J. Exp. Med., 184: p 465, 1996, or the like.

The present invention also provides CTLs which recognize a complexbetween a cancer antigen peptide of the present invention and an HLA-A26antigen.

As shown in the Examples below, stimulation with a peptide of thepresent invention resulted in the CTL-inducing activity. This indicatesthat there existed antigen-presenting cells presenting a complex betweena peptide of the present invention and an HLA-A26 antigen and that CTLsspecifically recognizing said antigen-presenting cells were induced.Such CTLs which specifically recognize a complex between an HLA-A26antigen and a peptide of the present invention can be used effectivelyin the adoptive immunotherapy as hereinafter described.

CTLs of the present invention may be in any form on the condition thatthey recognize specifically a complex of a peptide of the presentinvention with an HLA-A26 antigen, and include a monoclonal CTL and CTLmixture (population) comprising different kinds of clones. Inparticular, examples include CTLs specifically recognize a complex of apeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably a peptide consisting of theamino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9 with an HLA-A26antigen.

CTLs used in the adoptive immunotherapy can be prepared by isolatingperipheral blood lymphocytes from a patient, stimulating the cells invitro with a peptide of the present invention (e.g., a cancer antigenpeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably a cancer antigen peptideconsisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or9), or a polynucleotide encoding a peptide of the present invention(e.g., a polynucleotide encoding an epitope peptide comprising the aminoacid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15,preferably the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9),or an expression vector containing the same (Journal of ExperimentalMedicine 1999, 190: 1669).

The above-described peptides, expression vectors, cells,antigen-presenting cells and CTLs of the present invention can be usedas an active ingredient of a CTL-inducer, i.e., cancer vaccine, byformulating into an appropriate form depending on the respectivesubstances, as hereinafter described in more detail.

(1) Cancer Vaccine Comprising as an Active Ingredient a Peptide of thePresent Invention

The peptide of the present invention has a CTL-inducing ability and theso induced CTLs can exert the anti-cancer activity through cytotoxicaction or production of lymphokines. The peptide of the presentinvention therefore can be used as an active ingredient of cancervaccine for treating or preventing cancer. Thus, the present inventionprovides cancer vaccine (pharmaceutical composition as cancer vaccine)comprising as an active ingredient a peptide of the present invention.When cancer vaccine of the present invention is administered to anHLA-A26-positive and WT 1-positive patient, the peptide (e.g., a cancerantigen peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably the amino acidsequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9) is presented to HLA-A26antigen of antigen-presenting cells. Then, CTLs specifically recognizingthe presented HLA-A26 antigen complex can proliferate and destroy thecancer cells, whereby the treatment or prevention of cancer becomespossible. The cancer vaccine of the present invention can be used in theprevention or treatment of cancer accompanied by elevated expressionlevel of WT1 gene, for example, blood cancers such as leukemia,myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma and malignant lymphoma, andsolid cancers such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breastcancer, embryonal cancer, hepatic cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer,prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Thus, in another embodiment, the present invention provides a method fortreatment or prevention of cancer, which comprises administering aneffective amount of cancer vaccine of the present invention to anHLA-A26-positive and WT1-positive patient.

The cancer vaccine comprising as an active ingredient a peptide of thepresent invention may contain a single CTL epitope (e.g., a tumorantigen peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, preferably the amino acidsequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9) or an epitope peptidewherein a peptide is ligated with other peptide(s) (CTL epitope, helperepitope, etc.) as an active ingredient. Recently, it has been shown thatan epitope peptide wherein multiple CTL epitopes (antigen peptides) arelinked has an activity of inducing in vivo CTLs efficiently. Forexample, it was reported that about 30-mer epitope peptide wherein CTLepitopes (antigen peptides) restricted to HLA-A2-, -A3,-Al 1 or B53originated from cancer antigen protein PSA are ligated induced in vivoCTLs specific for respective CTL epitopes (Journal of Immunology 1998,161: 3186-3194). It has also been reported that an epitope peptidewherein a CTL epitope(s) and a helper epitope(s) are ligated can induceCTLs efficiently. When an epitope peptide in these forms isadministered, said peptide is incorporated into antigen-presentingcells; the respective antigen peptides generated by intracellulardegradation bind to HLA antigens to form complexes; the complexes arepresented on the surface of antigen-presenting cells in high density;and CTLs specific for the complexes efficiently proliferate in the bodyand destroy cancer cells. In this way, the treatment or prevention ofcancer is achieved.

The cancer vaccine comprising as an active ingredient a peptide of thepresent invention may be administered together with a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier, for example, an appropriate adjuvant, or in the formof particles so that the cellular immunity can be establishedeffectively. As an adjuvant, those described in a literature (Clin.Microbiol. Rev., 7:277-289, 1994), and the like are applicable. Concreteexamples include microorganism-derived components, cytokines,plant-derived components, marine organism-derived components, mineralgels such as aluminium hydroxide, surfactants such as lysolecithin andPluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsion (emulsionpreparations) and the like. Liposomal preparations, particulatepreparations in which the ingredient is bound to beads having a diameterof several pm, preparations in which the ingredient is attached tolipids, and the like, are also contemplated.

Administration may be achieved, for example, intradermally,subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intravenously. Although the dosageof the peptide of the present invention in the formulation may beadjusted as appropriate depending on the disease to be treated, the ageand the body weight of patient, it is usually within the range of 0.0001mg-1000 mg, preferably 0.001 mg-1000 mg, more preferably 0.1 mg-10 mg,which can be preferably administered once in every several days to everyseveral months.

(2) DNA Vaccine Comprising as an Active Ingredient an Expression VectorContaining a Polynucleotide Encoding a Peptide of the Present Invention

Not only the above-mentioned peptide of the present invention but alsoan expression vector containing a polynucleotide encoding a peptide ofthe present invention can be an active ingredient of DNA vaccine fortreating or preventing cancer. Thus, the present invention providescancer vaccine (pharmaceutical composition as cancer vaccine) comprisingas an active ingredient an expression vector containing a polynucleotideencoding a peptide of the present invention. In another embodiment, thepresent invention provides a method of treating or preventing cancer,which comprises administering an effective amount of DNA vaccine of thepresent invention to an HLA-A26-positive and WT1-positive patient.

Recently, a polynucleotide encoding an epitope peptide wherein multiple(plural) CTL epitopes (antigen peptides) are ligated or wherein a CTLepitope(s) and a helper epitope(s) are ligated has been shown to have anactivity of inducing CTLs in vivo efficiently. For example, it isreported that a DNA (minigene) encoding an epitope peptide whereinHBV-originated HLA-A2-restricted antigen peptides (6 peptides),HLA-A11-restricted antigen peptides (3 peptides) and a helper epitopeare ligated induced in vivo CTLs directed to the respective epitopesefficiently (Journal of Immunology 1999, 162: 3915-3925).

Accordingly, an active ingredient of cancer vaccine can be obtained byincorporating a polynucleotide encoding an epitope peptide of thepresent invention into an appropriate expression vector.

When administering an expression vector containing a polynucleotide ofthe present invention as an active ingredient of cancer vaccine (DNAvaccine), the following methods can be used.

As a method for introducing a polynucleotide of the present inventioninto cells, any means including those utilizing viral vectors or othermethods are applicable (Nikkei-Science, April, 1994, 20-45;Gekkan-Yakuji, 36(1), 23-48 (1994); Jikken-Igaku-Zokan, 12(15), 1994,and references cited therein).

Examples of a method utilizing a viral vector include those wherein aDNA of the present invention is incorporated into DNA or RNA virus suchas retrovirus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, herpes virus,vaccinia virus, poxvirus, poliovirus, or Sindbis virus, and thenintroduced into cells. Above all, a method using retrovirus, adenovirus,adeno-associated virus, or vaccinia virus, or the like, is particularlypreferred.

Examples of other methods include a method wherein an expression plasmidis directly injected intramuscularly (DNA vaccination), liposome method,Lipofectin method, microinjection, calcium phosphate method andelectroporation. DNA vaccination and liposome method are preferred.

Regarding a method for allowing the polynucleotide of the presentinvention to act as a medicament in practice, there are an in vivomethod wherein the polynucleotide is directly introduced into the bodyand an ex vivo method wherein the DNA is introduced extracorporeallyinto a certain cells removed from human, and the cells are reintroducedinto the body (Nikkei-Science, April, 1994, 20-45; Gekkan-Yakuji, 36(1),23-48 (1994); Jikkenn-Igaku-Zokan, 12(15), 1994; and references citedtherein). The in vivo method is more preferred.

In the case of in vivo method, the administration can be effectedthrough any appropriate routes depending on the disease and symptoms tobe treated. For example, it may be administered via intravenous,intraarterial, subcutaneous, intracutaneous, intramuscular route, or thelike. When the administration is carried out by in vivo method, thecomposition may be administered in various forms such as solutionthough, it is typically formulated, for example, into an injection whichcontains as an active ingredient an expression vector containing apolynucleotide of the present invention. The injection may contain aconventional carriers, if necessary. As for the liposomes ormembrane-fused liposomes (such as Sendai virus (HVJ)-liposomes) whichcontains an expression vector containing a polynucleotide of the presentinvention, they may be in the form of liposomal formulation such assuspension, frozen drug, centrifugally-concentrated frozen drug, or thelike.

Although the content of an expression vector containing a polynucleotidein a formulation may be adjusted as appropriate depending on, forexample, the disease to be treated, age and body weight of a patient,usually 0.0001 mg-100 mg, preferably 0.001 mg-10 mg of an expressionvector containing a polynucleotide of the present invention can beadministered once in every several days to every several months.

When the above-mentioned expression vector containing a polynucleotideof the present invention is administered to a cancer patient, apolypeptide corresponding to the said polynucleotide is highly expressedin antigen-presenting cells. Thereafter, cancer antigen peptidesgenerated by intracellular degradation form complexes with HLA antigens;the complexes are then presented on the surface of antigen-presentingcells in high density; and CTLs specifically recognize said complexesare efficiently proliferate in the body, and destroy cancer cells. Inthis way, treatment or prevention of cancer is achieved. The cancervaccine comprising as an active ingredient an expression vectorcontaining a polynucleotide of the present invention can be used in theprevention or treatment of cancer accompanied by elevated expressionlevel of WT1 gene, for example, blood cancers such as leukemia,myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma and malignant lymphoma, andsolid cancers such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breastcancer, embryonal cancer, hepatic cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer,prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer.

(3) Cancer Vaccine Comprising as an Active Ingredient Antigen-PresentingCells of the Present Invention

The present invention provides cancer vaccine comprising as an activeingredient antigen-presenting cells of the present invention.

Recently, a cell therapy (DC therapy) which comprises isolatinglymphocytes from peripheral blood of a cancer patient, inducingdendritic cells from the lymphocytes, pulsing the dendritic cells with apeptide or the like in vitro, and reintroducing the resultantantigen-presenting cells into the patient by subcutaneous injection orthe like has been reported (Cancer Immunol. Immunother., 46:82, 1998, J.Immunol., 158: p 1796, 1997, Cancer Res., 59: p 1184, 1999, Cancer Res.,56: p 5672, 1996, J. Immunol., 161: p 5607, 1998, J. Exp. Med., 184: p465, 1996). The above-described antigen-presenting cells of the presentinvention therefore can be used as an active ingredient of cancervaccine to be used in the cell therapy.

The cancer vaccine comprising as an active ingredient antigen-presentingcells of the present invention preferably contains physiological saline,phosphate buffered saline (PBS), medium, or the like, to stably maintainthe antigen-presenting cells. It may be administered, for example,intravenously, subcutaneously, or intradermally. The dose is similar tothat described in the references cited above.

When the cancer vaccine above is reintroduced into a patient's body,specific CTLs are efficiently induced in the body of a patient positivefor HLA-A26 and positive for WT1, whereby treatment or prevention ofcancer can be effected. The cancer vaccine comprising as an activeingredient antigen-presenting cells of the present invention can be usedin the prevention or treatment of cancer accompanied by elevatedexpression level of WT1 gene, for example, blood cancers such asleukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma and malignantlymphoma, and solid cancers such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, lungcancer, breast cancer, embryonal cancer, hepatic cancer, skin cancer,bladder cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, andovarian cancer.

(4) Cancer Vaccine Comprising as an Active Ingredient CTLs of thePresent Invention

The present invention provides cancer vaccine (pharmaceuticalcomposition as cancer vaccine) comprising as an active ingredient CTLsof the present invention. CTLs of the present invention can be usedeffectively in the adoptive immunotherapy as hereinafter described.

In melanomas, therapeutic effect has been observed in adoptiveimmunotherapy wherein tumor-infiltrating T cells are removed from apatient and cultured ex vivo in large quantities, and returned into thesame patient (J. Natl. Cancer. Inst., 86: 1159, 1994). Further, in mousemelanoma, suppression of metastasis has been observed when splenocyteswere stimulated with cancer antigen peptide TRP-2 in vitro to amplifyCTLs specific for the cancer antigen peptide, and the CTLs areadministered to a melanoma-grafted mouse (J. Exp. Med., 185:453, 1997).This resulted from in vitro proliferation of CTLs that specificallyrecognize a complex between an HLA antigen of antigen-presenting cellsand a cancer antigen peptide. Accordingly, a therapeutic methodcomprising stimulating in vitro peripheral blood lymphocytes from apatient with a peptide, or a polynucleotide or an expression vector ofthe present invention to proliferate cancer-specific CTLs, and returningthe CTLs into the patient is believed to be effective. Thus, the CTLs ofthe present invention can be used as an active ingredient of cancervaccine in the adoptive immunotherapy.

The cancer vaccine comprising as an active ingredient CTLs of thepresent invention preferably contains physiological saline, phosphatebuffered saline (PBS), medium, or the like to stably maintain CTLs. Itmay be administered, for example, intravenously, subcutaneously orintradermally. The dose is similar to that described in the referencescited above.

When the cancer vaccine is returned to a patient positive for HLA-A26and positive for WT1, the cytotoxic action of CTLs on cancer cells isenhanced in the body of a patient, and the cancer cells are destroyed.In this way, cancer can be treated. The cancer vaccine comprising as anactive ingredient CTLs of the present invention can be used in theprevention or treatment of cancer accompanied by elevated expressionlevel of WT1 gene, for example, blood cancers such as leukemia,myelodysplastic syndrome, multiple myeloma and malignant lymphoma, andsolid cancers such as gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breastcancer, embryonal cancer, hepatic cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer,prostate cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer.

The present invention also provides an HLA monomer, an HLA dimer, an HLAtetramer or an HLA pentamer comprising a cancer antigen peptide of thepresent invention and HLA-A26 antigen.

In the cancer immunotherapy, examination of the frequency or amount ofCTL precursor cells directed to a cancer antigen (cancer antigenpeptide) in a patient before treatment, or examination of the frequencyor amount of CTLs in a patient during treatment with a cancer antigen(cancer antigen peptide) can provide a significant indicator in theselection of patients highly responsive to the cancer antigen (cancerantigen peptide), the monitoring of therapeutic effects, or theevaluation of suitability of treatment. An HLA monomer, an HLA dimer, anHLA tetramer and an HLA pentamer each comprising a tumor antigen peptidetogether with an HLA antigen are useful as a reagent in the detection ofCTLs specific for antigen (antigen peptide), specifically, in themeasurement of frequency or amount of CTLs.

As used herein, the HLA tetramer refers to a tetramer prepared bybiotinylating a complex (HLA monomer) obtained by association of an HLAantigen α-chain and β2-microglobulin with a peptide (antigen peptide),and allowing to bind to avidin for tetramerization (Science 279:2103-2106 (1998); and Science 274: 94-96 (1996)).

The HLA monomer is a monomer that is used in the preparation of theabove-mentioned HLA tetramer and is formed by biotinylating anassociation of HLA antigen α-chain, β2-microglobulin and antigenpeptide.

The HLA dimer is a dimer prepared by fusing HLA antigen α-chain and Ig(immunoglobulin, for example, IgG1), and binding the resultant fusion toβ2-microglobulin and antigen peptide (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6671-6675 (1993)). The antigen peptide-specific CTLs bound to HLA dimercan be detected by, for example, allowing labeled anti-IgG1 antibody tobind to IgG 1.

The HLA pentamer is a recently developed technique and refers to apentamer wherein five molecules of a complex comprising HLA antigen andantigen peptide are polymerized through Coiled-Coil domain. Since theHLA antigen-antigen peptide complex can be labeled with fluorescence orthe like, the analysis can be carried out by flow cytometry or the likesimilarly to HLA tetramer.

The aforementioned HLA-monomer, dimer, tetramer and pentamer are allavailable by custom production from a manufacture such as ProImmune orBD Biosciences. At present, HLA tetramers and the like which comprisedifferent antigen peptides are commercially available (Medical &Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd., etc.)

Examples of the HLA monomer, dimer, tetramer and pentamer of the presentinvention, specifically, include HLA monomers, dimers, tetramers andpentamers each comprising a peptide consisting of the amino acidsequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15,preferably the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 8 or 9 andan HLA-A26 antigen. Preferably, an HLA tetramer or HLA pentamer and morepreferably, an HLA tetramer is used in the detection of CTLs.

The HLA monomer, HLA tetramer and HLA pentamer are preferably labeledwith fluorescence so that the bound CTLs can be easily sorted out ordetected by a known detection measure such as flow cytometry,fluorescent microscopy, and the like. Examples include HLA monomers,tetramers and pentamers labeled with phycoerythrin(PE), fluoresceinisothiocyanate (FITC), peridinyl chlorophyll protein (PerCP),allophycocyanin (APC), or the like.

The HLA-A26 antigen (HLA-A26 antigen α-chain) which is a component ofthe HLA monomer, dimer, tetramer and pentamer of the present inventioncan be cloned easily by a conventional method such as PCR on the basisof information about known base sequence of HLA-A26 and the likedisclosed in Genbank Accession No. D14350.

The β2-microglobulin which is a component of the HLA monomer, dimer,tetramer and pentamer of the present invention is preferably originatedfrom human. The human β2-microglobulin can be cloned easily by aconventional method such as PCR on the basis of information about knownbase sequence of human β2-microglobulin disclosed in GenBank Acc.No.AB021288.

The process for the preparation of HLA monomer, dimer, tetramer andpentamer is well known from the respective literatures mentioned above;however, the preparation will be hereinafter described briefly regardingHLA tetramer.

First, an appropriate host cell such as E. coli or mammalian cellscapable of expressing a protein is transformed with an HLA-A26 α-chainexpression vector and a β2-microglobulin expression vector, and allowedto express. E. coli (e.g., BL21) is preferably used here. The resultantmonomer HLA-A26 complex and a peptide of the present invention are thenmixed to form a soluble HLA-peptide complex. The C-terminal sequence ofHLA-A26 α-chain of the resultant HLA-peptide complex is biotinylatedwith BirA enzyme. When a biotinylated HLA-peptide complex and afluorescently labeled avidin are mixed at the molar ratio of 4:1, an HLAtetramer is formed. It is preferred to purify the resulting protein bygel filtration or the like in each step above.

The HLA monomer, dimer, tetramer and pentamer described above are usedeffectively as a detecting agent for CTLs which are specific forHLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptides.

The CTL-detecting agent of the present invention can be used for thefollowing purposes, for example.

-   1) It can be used to examine the frequency or amount of CTL    precursors directed to a cancer antigen peptide of the present    invention before treatment with the cancer antigen peptide. This    makes it possible to evaluate the responsiveness of a patient to the    cancer antigen peptide.-   2) It can be used to examine the frequency or amount of CTLs in a    patient during treatment with a cancer antigen peptide of the    present invention. This makes it possible to monitor the therapeutic    effects, evaluate the suitability of treatment, and confirm that    treatment proceeds favorably, and the like.

Detection of CTLs can be carried out by, specifically, isolating abiological sample (e.g., PBMC) containing CTLs from a subject patient,bringing an HLA tetramer or the like of the present invention intocontact with the biological sample, and measuring the existing frequencyor amount of CTLs specific for the peptide of the present inventionbound to the HLA tetramer or the like by flow cytometry, or the like.

The present inventors also found for the first time that a peptidecomprising the amino acid sequence of Asp Leu Asn Ala Leu Leu Pro AlaVal (SEQ ID NO: 3) is an HLA-A*0201-binding cancer antigen peptide.Although the peptide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 has beendisclosed in WO 00/18795, the following findings have been for the firsttime disclosed by the present invention: said peptide has an activity asan HLA-A*0201-binding cancer antigen peptide, said peptide is generatedby intracellular processing of WT 1 protein, a complex of said peptidewith an HLA-A*0201 antigen is presented on the cell surface andrecognized by CTLs, and said peptide is a therapeutically effectivecancer antigen peptide.

Thus, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical compositioncomprising any one of the following a) to f):

a) a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3,

b) an epitope peptide comprising the peptide of a) above,

c) an expression vector containing a polynucleotide encoding the peptideof a) or b) above,

d) a cell containing the expression vector of c) above,

e) an antigen-presenting cell on which a complex between the peptide ofa) above and an HLA-A*0201 antigen is presented, and

f) a CTL which recognizes a complex between the peptide of a) above andan HLA-A*0201 antigen, together with a pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier.

Regarding an HLA-A2 antigen such as HLA-A*0201 antigen, a certain rules(binding motifs) in the sequence of an antigen peptide capable ofbinding to said HLA antigen and being presented are known. That is, thebinding motif for HLA-A2-binding peptide is known that, in the peptidesconsisting of 8-11 amino acid, the amino acid residue at position 2 isleucine, methionine, valine, isoleucine or glutamine, and the amino acidat the C-terminus is valine or leucine (Immunogenetics, 41, p 178, 1995,J. Immunol., 155: p 4749, 1995). Accordingly, the amino acid residue atthe position 2 and/or the C-terminus of the above-mentioned peptideshown in SEQ ID NO: 3 can be substituted by another amino acid residueavailable in view of the above-mentioned motifs. Thus, not only thepeptide shown in SEQ ID NO: 3 but also a variant set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 which is under the rule of the above-mentioned motifs (with theproviso the a peptide shown in SEQ ID NO: 3 is excluded) can be used ina pharmaceutical composition similar to the above as long as saidvariant has an activity of cancer antigen peptide.

Thus, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical compositioncomprising any one of the following a)′ to f)′:

a)′ a cancer antigen peptide comprising the amino acid sequence setforth in SEQ ID NO: 4,

b)′ an epitope peptide comprising the peptide of a)′ above,

c)′ an expression vector containing a polynucleotide encoding thepeptide of a)′ or b)′ above,

d)′ a cell containing the expression vector of c)′ above,

e)′ an antigen-presenting cell on which a complex between the peptide ofa)′ above and an HLA-A*0201 antigen is presented, and

f)′ a CTL which recognizes a complex between the peptide of a)′ aboveand an HLA-A*0201 antigen,

together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The method for preparing or measuring activity of the respectivesubstances described in a)-f) and a)′-f)′, and their use as a CTLinducer or cancer vaccine are the same as those described in regard tothe peptide of the present invention which has activity as anHLA-A26-bindng cancer antigen peptide. However, the peptide set forth inSEQ ID NO: 3 or 4 is used in place the peptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 and that HLA-A*0201 antigen is used inplace of HLA-A26 antigen. The HLA-A*0201 antigen is known in GenbankAccession No. M84379.

The present invention also provides an HLA monomer, an HLA dimer, an HLAtetramer or an HLA pentamer comprising a peptide having the amino acidsequence of Asp Leu Asn Ala Leu Leu Pro Ala Val set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, and an HLA-A*0201 antigen; and a detecting agent for CTLs which arespecific for WT 1-derived HLA-A*0201-binding cancer antigen peptidecomprising the same as an ingredient. The description provided above inregard to a peptide having activity as an HLA-A26-binding cancer antigenpeptide is applicable to these HLA monomer, HLA dimer, HLA tetramer andHLA pentamer, and CTL-detecting agent. However, the peptide set forth inSEQ ID NO: 3 or 4 is used in place of the peptide set forth in SEQ IDNO: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 and that HLA-A*0201 antigen isused in place of HLA-A26 antigen.

EXAMPLES

The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples,but is not limited by these examples in any respect.

Example 1 Identification of HLA-A*0201-Binding Antigen Peptides

A peptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 whichcorresponds to the one at position 7-15 of human WT1 amino acid sequence(Cell 60: 509, 1990, SEQ ID NO: 1) was synthesized by solid-phasesynthesis.

After obtaining informed-consent, blood was collected fromHLA-A*0201-positive healthy subjects and peripheral blood mononuclearcells (PBMCs) were isolated using Ficoll-Hypaque separation solution.HLA-A*0201-positive T2 cell lines incapable of presenting endogenouspeptides to HLA due to deficit in TAP gene (J. Immunol. 150: 1763, 1993)were pulsed with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3 at 20 μM for 2 hours, thenradiated (7500 cGy), and co-cultured with PBMCs at the cell number ratioof 1:1. As the culture solution, a complete medium composed of 45% AIM-Vmedium, 45% RPMI1640 medium, 10% inactivated human serum, 0.1 mM MEMnon-essential amino acids, 100 ng/mL streptomycin, 100 IU/mL penicillinand 25 ng/mL 2-mercaptoethanol was used. Seven days later, thesecond-time stimulation was conducted in a similar manner, and theretowas added 25 IU/mL of IL-2 (Shionogi & Co., Ltd) on the next day.Stimulation was conducted five times in total, and effector cellsobtained after 5 days from the last stimulation were used in themeasurement of cytotoxicity.

The cytotoxic activity of CTLs on target cells was measured by 51Cr-release assay. The ⁵¹ Cr-labeled target cells (1×10⁴ cells/100 μL intotal) were cocultured with different numbers of effector cells (100 μL)in a round-bottom 96-well plate. After culturing at 37° C. for 3-5hours, the plate was centrifuged to separate the supernatant (100 μL)which was subjected to the measurement of γ ray. Specific cytotoxicity(% specific lysis) was calculated as follows:

% specific lysis=(cpm experimental release−cpm spontaneous release)/(cpmmaximal release−cpm spontaneous release)×100

The “spontaneous release” and the “maximal release” were measured in thesupernatant obtained from the culture of target cells and that obtainedfrom the culture of target cells treated with 1% Triton X-100 solution,respectively. The significant difference test was conducted by Student'st-test. The cytotoxic activity was measured using, as target cells, T2cells pulsed with the same peptide as used in the stimulation or T2cells not pulsed with the peptide. The results are shown in FIG. 1. CTLsinduced by stimulation with T2 cells pulsed with the peptide of SEQ IDNO: 3 exerted more potent cytotoxic activity on T2 cells pulsed with thepeptide than on T2 cells not-pulsed with the peptide (p<0.05). Theseresults demonstrated that CTLs specifically recognize the WT1-derivedpeptide of SEQ ID NO: 3 are induced from HLA-A*0201-positive human PBMCsby stimulation with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3.

Then, the cytotoxic activity of CTLs induced by the peptide of SEQ IDNO: 3 on TF-1 and JY cell lines was examined, wherein the TF-1 cell lineis positive for HLA-A*0201 and expresses WT1 (J. Cell. Physiol. 140:323, 1989), while the JY cell line is positive for HLA-A*0201 but doesnot express WT1 (J. Biol. Chem. 252, 1997). The results are shown inFIG. 2. CTLs induced by stimulation with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3killed TF-1 cells and not JY cells (p<0.05). These results demonstratedthat a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3 is produced through the processing ofintracellularly expressed endogenous WT1 protein, presented as anantigen together with an HLA-A*0201 molecule, and recognized by CTLs.

Example 2 Identification of Antigen Peptides Binding to HLA-A26 (1)

A peptide shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 which corresponds to the position368-376 of amino acid sequence of human WT1 (Cell, 60:509, 1990, SEQ IDNO: 1) was synthesized by solid state synthesis.

After obtaining informed consent, PBMCs were prepared fromHLA-A26-positive healthy subject in a similar manner to Example 1, andstimulated by adding the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2. One week later, PBMCswere pulsed with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, and used as stimulators inthe stimulation. The stimulation was conducted every one week 4 times intotal. One week later, B cells (B-LCL) transformed with EB virus werepulsed with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, and used as stimulators in thestimulation. After 5 days from the final stimulation, the cytotoxicactivity was measured by ⁵ ¹ Cr-release assay in a similar manner toExample 1 using, as target cells, B-LCL cells pulsed with the peptide ofSEQ ID NO: 2 and B-LCL cells not-pulsed with the peptide. The resultsare shown in FIG. 3. CTLs induced by stimulation with the peptide of SEQID NO: 2 exerted more potent cytotoxic activity on B-LCL cells pulsedwith the peptide than on B-LCL cells not-pulsed with the peptide. Theseresults demonstrated that CTLs specifically recognize the WT1-derivedpeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 are induced from HLA-A26-positive human PBMCs bystimulation with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2.

The genotype of HLA-A26-positive healthy subject used herein is known beHLA-A*2601.

Example 3 Identification of Antigen Peptides Binding to HLA-A26 (2)

Peptides shown in SEQ ID NOS: 8, 9 and 2 which correspond to theposition 152-160, 185-193 and 368-376, respectively, of amino acidsequence of human WT1 (Cell, 60: 509, 1990, SEQ ID NO: 1) weresynthesized by solid state synthesis.

After obtaining informed consent, PBMCs were prepared fromHLA-A26-positive healthy subject in a similar manner to Example 1, andstimulated by adding a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 8. One week later, PBMCswere pulsed with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 8, and used as stimulators inthe stimulation. The stimulation was conducted every one week 3 times intotal. After 3 times of stimulation, CD8-positive cells were enriched bynegative selection method. Further, stimulation with the peptide of SEQID NO: 8 was conducted 2 times. After 5 days from the final stimulation,the cytotoxic activity was measured by ⁵¹ Cr-release assay in a similarmanner to Example 1 using, as target cells, B-LCL cells pulsed with thepeptide of SEQ ID NO: 8 and B-LCL cells not-pulsed with the peptide.Experiments were carried out in the same manner as above using a peptideof SEQ ID NO: 9 and a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2. The results are shown inFIG. 4. CTLs induced by stimulation with the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 8,the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 9 or the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 exerted morepotent cytotoxic activity on B-LCL cells pulsed with the peptide than onB-LCL cells not-pulsed with the peptide. These results demonstrated thatCTLs specifically recognize the WT1-derived peptide of SEQ ID NO: 8, 9and 2 are induced from HLA-A26-positive human PBMCs by stimulation withthe peptide of SEQ ID NO: 8, 9 and 2, respectively.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Cancer antigen peptides derived from WT1, polynucleotides encoding thesame, CTL-inducers comprising the same, and the like are provided by thepresent invention. The CTL inducer of the present invention is useful ascancer vaccine. The cancer vaccine of the present invention isapplicable to many cancer patients who are positive for HLA-A26 orHLA-A*0201.

Sequence Listing Free Text

The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 is a syntheticpeptide.

-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 is a synthetic    peptide.-   In the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4, the second    amino acid is leucine, methionine, valine, isoleucine or glutamine    and the ninth amino acid is valine or leucine.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 9 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 10 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 12 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 13 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 14 is a synthetic    peptide.-   The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 15 is a synthetic    peptide.

1-18. (canceled)
 19. A CTL, which recognizes a complex between an HLA-A26-binding cancer antigen peptide derived from the amino acid sequence of human WT1 set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and HLA-A26 antigen.
 20. The CTL according to claim 19, wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO:
 9. 21. The CTL according to claim 20, wherein the length of the peptide is up to 11 amino acids.
 22. The CTL according to claim 19, wherein the peptide comprises an amino acid sequence identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 8, or SEQ ID NO: 9 except that one to several amino acids are substituted, deleted and/or added.
 23. The CTL according to claim 19, wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
 2. 24. The CTL according to claim 19, wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
 8. 25. The CTL according to claim 19, wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
 9. 